“Creator of the Stars of Night,” Verse 4 (ELW 245)
Devotion
Come in your holy might, we pray,
redeem us for eternal day;
defend us while we dwell below
from all assaults of our dread foe.
Why these sobering words in an Advent hymn? Our culture excels in taking Christmas songs and retooling them. Popular versions of "What Child is This?" are especially widespread. Many replace the somber refrain of stanza two, "Nail, spear shall pierce him through, The cross be borne for me, for you" with the ending of the first stanza, "This, this, is Christ, the king . . ."
But something is lost in this reworking, namely the connection between the wondrous birth of Jesus and the fact of his death. The biblical texts maintain this connection: Joseph was to name him "Jesus" because he would save his people from their sins; the angels announced the birth of a Savior; and the magi brought gifts of myrrh, an embalming resin. Christmas is all about Jesus, but Jesus is all about the cross.
Prayer
Let me never forget your passion and death, O Lord. Amen.